Product Manager – Validation Testing (PASL Portfolio)

Company: Leader in the water and risk management space (will share company during call)

Location: Remote (Chicagoland preferred)

Reports to: Head of Marketing and Innovation

Portfolio: PASL Validation Testing (Safety + Sterile Processing)

About The Company

They are a leading water management and validation testing company helping organizations protect public health and optimize building water systems. Through a combination of laboratory testing, software, analytics, and expert services, they support customers across healthcare, hospitality, government, and commercial sectors in managing complex water safety and compliance needs.

Their PASL (laboratory testing) portfolio plays a critical role in preventing risks such as Legionella and supporting sterile processing validation in healthcare environments.

Role Overview

They're hiring a Product Manager to own and evolve our Validation Testing portfolio, spanning two highly strategic end-user segments:

• Safety testing (Legionella and microbiological risk)
• Sterile processing validation (healthcare-driven)

This is one of the company’s most technically complex and high-impact product roles. You will manage a portfolio of microbiological and chemistry testing solutions—both off-the-shelf assays from third-party suppliers and proprietary methods requiring structured optimization over the next 6–12 months.

This role demands deep technical engagement, strong commercial instincts, and cross-functional leadership across Product, R&D, Sales, and Operations.

Key Responsibilities

Own the Validation Testing Product Portfolio

• Lead end-to-end ownership of the PASL validation testing product line, including lifecycle strategy, portfolio optimization, and long-term roadmap.
• Define a forward-looking product vision across individual tests and the broader portfolio.
• Evaluate product performance, competitive positioning, and portfolio priorities.

Drive Portfolio Cleanup and Technical Rigor

• Partner closely with R&D (phiRIT) and technical stakeholders to address legacy complexity, messy master data, and operational risk.
• Lead efforts to “wipe the past off the table” by clarifying value, structure, and defensibility across the portfolio.
• Ensure testing offerings are scalable, well-defined, and positioned for enterprise growth.

Prioritize Innovation and Commercialization

• Lead Stage & Gate processes for new innovations from discovery through commercialization.
• Identify opportunities for partnerships, supplier relationships, and next-generation validation solutions.
• Inform capital allocation decisions across existing and emerging testing methods.

Pricing, Profitability, and Business Ownership

• Work with Accounting to complete pricing analysis and profitability management.
• Monitor and communicate portfolio-level profitability, lifecycle metrics, and order-to-cash efficiency.
• Treat the testing portfolio as a business—driving tradeoffs, investment decisions, and execution.

Customer and Field Engagement

• Serve as a customer-facing product leader, engaging directly with field teams and customers to understand needs and drive adoption.
• Support enterprise selling efforts with technical expertise, positioning, and market insight.
• Participate in industry conversations, supplier discussions, and market development initiatives.

Cross-Functional Leadership and Enablement

• Maintain strong alignment across Sales, Marketing, PASL, Contracts, IT, R&D, and Operations.
• Develop sales training and technical enablement for new products, launches, and portfolio changes.
• Produce supporting content such as case studies, white papers, technical documentation, and launch collateral.

What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)

A successful PM in this role will:

• Clearly define the value and structure of the validation testing portfolio at both the test-level and portfolio-level.
• Partner with James and R&D to stabilize and clean up proprietary testing methods and operational complexity.
• Establish a forward-looking innovation roadmap and strategic investment thesis.
• Bring an externally oriented mindset—engaging customers, suppliers, and partners to shape what comes next.
• Demonstrate strong ownership: driving initiatives proactively rather than waiting for direction.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Must-Haves

• Experience in testing-heavy environments, such as:
• Clinical diagnostics (strongly preferred)
• Environmental or industrial testing
• Strong customer-facing commercial orientation through product management, product marketing, or technical account/sales roles.
• Ability to bridge technical depth with business impact:
• Comfortable engaging with R&D and laboratory stakeholders
• Equally comfortable with customers, field teams, and revenue-driving conversations
• Proven ability to operate in complex, messy environments with legacy processes and high expectations.

Nice-to-Haves

• Science or STEM background in microbiology, chemistry, diagnostics, or related domains.
• Experience at companies such as:
• Abbott, Siemens Healthineers, Danaher, Thermo Fisher, Bio-Rad, bioMérieux, Exact Sciences, Sysmex, Leica
• Familiarity with regulated healthcare or safety-driven product ecosystems.

Team & Culture

• Product org includes ~5 PMs aligned by product line and segment.
• This role uniquely spans two major segments (Safety + Sterile Processing) and requires frequent coordination across adjacent teams.
• Leadership style is direct and high-ownership:
• High expectations for proactivity and decision-making
• Not micromanaged, but deeply engaged leadership
• PMs are expected to be “tip of the spear,” shaping future strategy

Compensation & Process

• Base salary range: $120K–$140K+

Interview process: (subject to change slightly)

• Recruiter screen
• Conversation with Hiring Manager
• Conversation with Leah (Head of Testing R&D)
• Additional stakeholder or peer PM conversations as needed

Why This Role Matters

This is a rare opportunity to own and shape one of the company’s most critical, technically demanding product portfolios—at the intersection of public health, healthcare validation, laboratory science, and commercial growth.

You will have the mandate to clean up complexity, define the future of validation testing at the company, and play a central role in the company’s next stage of scale.